


Bangasa

by silvertongue (edis0n)



Category: Bleach
Genre: Bromance, Gen, Ichigo is a captain, M/M, Renji is also a captain, Super Subtle Romance, it's really more platonic than anything, platonic, post!Thousand Year Blood War, squinting will not suffice, when I said subtle I meant so subtle you'll need a microscope to see it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-20 08:38:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1503977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edis0n/pseuds/silvertongue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[set a decade after the end of the Thousand Year Blood War arc] Life goes on after the war. 8th division captain Kurosaki Ichigo gets the rest of the day off from paperwork, only for the sky to literally rain on his parade. But it's not all bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bangasa

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from the Japanese word for an oilpaper umbrella (which is what I assume the residents of Soul Society would use, given the feudal esque setting). This was written for the prompt "umbrella" so naturally, it seemed fitting. Absolutely not because the writer was too lazy to really come up with a proper title, nope.
> 
> I haven't written BLEACH in ages so my characterisation is a bit rusty - I'm not yet able to write them as perfectly as I imagine them. Grand gestures of romance right at the get go don't seem to suit these two for me. Thus, this is written so subtly (from my point of view) that it could very well be viewed as platonic instead. Either way works for me, I just hope you enjoy this regardless.

It was a long time since the end of the dreadful Thousand Year Blood War, at least a decade. Recovery had been hard but in the wake of the destruction, rebuilding had been quick, if only to get everyone back onto their feet that much sooner. Peace settled once again.

Ichigo, now a permanent resident of Seireitei, was leaving the 8th squad barracks at the end of another day. The former substitute turned captain was making his exit earlier than usual, after being assured by his third seat and lieutenant that they would clear up the paperwork that was left behind. A studious schoolboy back when he was human, it didn't bother him so much but when the two had insisted, he left. It was good to have a break now and again.

Whiskey brown eyes peered up at the cloudy skies. The weather could've been better for an afternoon off but there was no point in being choosy. Ichigo supposed he would just have to hope he could beat the rain.

Luck wasn't on his side though - not ten minutes later, the clouds split open at the seams, the downpour of rain sounding faintly like a groan as it fell all at once.

 _Damn._ Caught in the onslaught, he flash-stepped to the closest cover he could find, pressing himself close to the wall so the small edge of the roof could shield him. "Just my luck." he chuckled, an eye closing as a fat drop of water struck his upper eyelid. Soaked, he could feel water dripping down the back of his neck, though his white captain's haori had kept some of it from going through to his shihakusho.

He was far from his apartment, having only made it to the sixth division before the shower began. If Renji were still lieutenant, he'd have no qualms asking him if he had an umbrella or if he could stick around till the rain stopped, but the redhead was now the third seat captain.

Taking off his haori, Ichigo wrung the water out of the sodden fabric, frowning again when a drop of water fell from the roof tiles above him onto his face. Leaning back against the wall as much as he could, he rolled up the garment and tucked it under his arm.

"Not going to let up anytime soon, from the looks of it." He muttered, looking up at the darkened clouds again. He sighed. He would just have to wait it out here. Closing his eyes, the 8th division captain listened to the rain falling, tiptapping on the roof tiles, his brow ticking when water struck his face every so often.

He wasn't sure how long he was there. He might have even fallen asleep on his feet, if a quiet presence did not make itself known mere seconds before a deep voice went,

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

With a start, he straightened, brown eyes opening quickly to meet the cool greys of one Kuchiki Byakuya, standing with an umbrella in his hand. He relaxed, clutching his folded haori in one hand.

"Oh it's you, Byakuya." The 6th division captain raised an eyebrow at him. "Were you expecting someone else, Kurosaki? As you know, Renji is my lieutenant no longer."

Ichigo shook his head, a sheepish smile coming to his face. "Of course I know that. It's nothing like that, I was just caught in the rain—" It was only then he noticed that although he had stepped out from the cover of the roof, he wasn't getting wet. He glanced and saw that the green umbrella in the older man's hand was held ever so slightly over his head, even as Byakuya continued looking at him, placid expression unchanged.

He didn't dare ask, lest his good fortune be lost. "Never mind about me though. Where were you going, Byakuya?"

"Home. Rukia insisted we have dinner together." Though he'd spoken in the same even tone as always, Ichigo couldn't help but smile, a little. The Kuchiki siblings had gotten so much closer than when he'd first known them, many years back.

"I guess I shouldn't keep you then. Rukia would give me a beating if I made her Nii-sama late." He replied goodnaturedly, though a part of him was reluctant to let go of the one source of cover he had. He didn't miss the one second a flash of amusement entered the Kuchiki's grey eyes, snorting mentally. Of course his demise at his sister's hands would amuse him.

"You should pay her a visit as well, Kurosaki." Ichigo blinked as the other man said those words, before rubbing the back of his neck a bit awkwardly. "I dunno. I don't want to intrude on your family time."

"It would not be an intrusion. She has expressed that she misses spending time with you."

The 8th division captain scratched his cheek with a finger. "Yeah, that's her but would you mind?"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow again. A second passed before he answered. "As I said, it would not be an intrusion. I would not have brought it up if I did not approve."

"Ah... right."

The 6th division captain turned in the opposite direction, before adding "...Your consideration does not extend to your way of addressing me, it seems."

Ichigo blinked. "I've called you like that since the beginning. It'd be odd if I started using honorifics now."

The older man was silent and for a moment, Ichigo wondered if the other would retract his invitation now. Instead he heard but a barely audible sigh.

"Come, Kurosaki Ichigo. I am late."

It was only when Byakuya began walking away, that the younger man registered that he was leaving, quickly moving to catch up to the other captain, going back under the cover of the green umbrella as discreetly as he could. They walked for at least several quiet moments before Ichigo spoke again, the silence feeling strangely heavy to him. "If you're so bothered by it, Byakuya, you could do the same with me. That would be fair, yeah?"

Ichigo thought he heard a quiet sound resembling a chuckle, as the noble continued walking. "Unlike myself, I have reasons to believe you would be pleased rather than irritated."

Ichigo snorted but didn't disagree - it was true, how could he deny it? He didn't consider himself particularly close to the other man - not as much as Rukia or Renji or Yoruichi even. His suggestion had been made largely in jest, and he continued along that vein with his next response, adding a light rise to his words. "What reasons, Kuchiki- _taicho_?"

There was a brief pause in the older man's step, and once the orange haired shinigami noticed, the corner of his mouth twitched from his usual neutral scowl to a light grin. There was no other indication of the older man's reaction and he resumed his steady walk as though nothing had happened. "Perhaps you shall find out someday, Kurosaki Ichigo."

 _No giving up with him._ the younger man thought. He left it at that, not wanting to push the joke too long, lest the comfortable atmosphere be lost.

They continued walking quietly for the rest of the way, only the sound of their feet on the wet pavement accompanying the pattering of rain. When they arrived at the Kuchiki estate, Ichigo followed the 6th captain through the gates to the front door.

"It did feel strange." Byakuya said as they stepped inside, before he handed his umbrella off to a servant. It took Ichigo a moment to understand, distracted as the household help asked polite questions. When he did, a small grin lifted the corners of his mouth. By then, the older man had slipped away, leaving him to be ushered in by a matronly servant to change into dry clothes.

It was a small concession. But he would take what victories he could get.


End file.
